Bees in Amber Part 9

Not for one single day Can I discern my way, But this I surely know,-- Who gives the day, Will show the way, So I securely go.

LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY

O G.o.d, within whose sight All men have equal right To worship Thee.

Break every bar that holds Thy flock in diverse folds!

Thy Will from none withholds Full liberty.

Lord, set Thy Churches free From foolish rivalry!

Lord, set us free!

Let all past bitterness Now and for ever cease, And all our souls possess Thy charity!

Lord, set the people free!

Let all men draw to Thee In unity!

Thy temple courts are wide, Therein let all abide In peace, and side by side, Serve only Thee!

G.o.d, grant us now Thy peace!

Bid all dissensions cease!

G.o.d, send us peace!

Peace in True Liberty, Peace in Equality, Peace and Fraternity, G.o.d, send us peace!

FREEMEN

Let no man stand between my G.o.d and me!

I claim a Free man's right Of intercourse direct with Him, Who gave me Freedom with the air and light.

G.o.d made me free.-- Let no man stand between Me and my liberty!

We need no priest to tell us G.o.d is Love.-- Have we not eyes to see, And minds to apprehend, and hearts That leap responsive to His Charity?

G.o.d's gifts are free.-- Let no man stand between Us and His liberty!

We need no priest to point a way to heaven.-- G.o.d's heaven is here,--is there,-- Man's birthright, with the light and air,-- "G.o.d is His own and best interpreter."

His ways are free.-- Let no man stand between Us and His liberty!

Let no man strive to rob us of this right!

For this, from age to age, Our fathers did a mighty warfare wage, And, by G.o.d's help, we'll keep our heritage!

G.o.d says--"Be Free!"

And we,-- "NO MAN SHALL STAND BETWEEN OUR SONS AND LIBERTY!"

THE LONG ROAD

Long the road, Till Love came down it!

Dark the life, Till Love did crown it!

Dark the life, And long the road, Till Love came To share the load!

For the touch Of Love transfigures All the road And all its rigours.

Life and Death, Love's touch transfigures.

Life and Death And all that lies In between, Love sanctifies.

Once the heavenly spark is lighted, Once in love two hearts united, Nevermore Shall aught that was be As before.

THE CHRIST

The good intent of G.o.d became the Christ.

And lived on earth--the Living Love of G.o.d, That men might draw to closer touch with heaven, Since Christ in all the ways of man hath trod.

THE BALLAD OF LOST SOULS

With the thirty pieces of silver, They bought the Potter's Field; For none would have the blood-money And the interest it might yield.

The Place of Blood for the Price of Blood, And that was meet, I ween, For there they would bury the dead who died In frowardness and sin.

And the first man they would bury there Was Judas Iscariot; And that was as dreadful a burying As ever was, I wot.

For the sick earth would not keep him; Each time it thrust him out, And they that would have buried him Stood shuddering round about.

And others they would bury In that unhallowed spot, But honest earth would none of them, Because of Iscariot.

And oh, it was a fell, fell place, With dead black trees all round, And a quag that boiled and writhed and coiled Where had been solid ground.

For every tree that stood there, And the green gra.s.s every blade, Shrivelled and died on every side, Whenever the price was paid.

And in despair they left him there, And there his body lay, Till his sad soul came, all black with shame, And carried it away.

And those denied a sepulture In that most dismal spot, Gibbered and flew, a ghastly crew, Incensed with rage, that grew and grew, Against Iscariot.

For their souls were all in torment, While their bodies uncovered lay, And never a moment's rest was theirs, Either by night or day.

That was a place of wailings, And the grisly things of Death,-- The bare black arms of the trees above, And the black quag underneath.

No light of the moon fell on it, Nor ever a star did shine On the quivering face of that dread place, Because of Iscariot's sin.

Then there came by the soul of Iscariot, The same who sold his Lord, And he dragged his body after him, But never spake a word.